1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramic composition.
2. Description of the Background Art
A piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator can advantageously control a displacement in the order of submicrons with high accuracy. A piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator using a sintered body of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramic composition as a piezoelectric/electrostrictive body, in particular, has the advantages of high electro-mechanical conversion efficiency, high generation power, high response speed, high durability and low power consumption in addition to accurate displacement controllability. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator, having the advantage of these characteristic features, can be adopted for use in a head of an inkjet printer or an injector of a diesel engine.
As a piezoelectric/electrostrictive composition for the piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator, a Pb (Zr, Ti)O3(PZT)-based piezoelectric/electrostrictive composition has been conventionally used. Since concern for an influence of elution of lead from the sintered body into the global environment is mounting, use of a (Li, Na, K)(Nb, Ta)O3-based piezoelectric/electrostrictive composition has been considered.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a (Li, Na, K)(Nb, Ta)O3-based piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramic composition having a large field-induced distortion during application of high electric field.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.